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Background
• SERA: Biotechnology identified as strategic area where collaboration could – enhance competitiveness– address lack of critical mass
• 2002: MoU between CSIR and UP– ACGT formed– Jane Morris as director
Background
• 2005: MoA, to include Wits
• 2011: New MoA- 5 partners:
• ARC, CSIR, Universities of Johannesburg, Pretoria and Witwatersrand
ACGT Vision
• To position the partner organizations, through collaboration, to be globally competitive in advanced biotechnology
ACGT Mission
• To support collaborative development of advanced biotechnology research for the benefit of all South Africans in key selected areas including agriculture, health, environment and new technology development
Priorities
• Establish network of excellence in advanced biotechnology
• Establish effective linkages with relevant role-players
Priorities
• Facilitate research and development of the highest possible caliber
• Identify + build a limited number of flagship programs/projects that build on partner institution capacity in advanced biotech
• Raise funds for collaborative research
ACGT achievements
• Established microarray, proteomics, bioinformatics facilities
• Established SAMI• Several funded FP6, FP7 projects• SABINA, POL-SABINA
ACGT achievements
• Created Bioscience researcher database• Regional Plant Biotech Forum• Several linkages established• Several workshops hosted
Next period
• Audit new partners: finalize • Audit bioinformatics capacity in the region– scarce skill– collaborative workshops/training events
• Expand/enlarge forums to include partner interests– human health (comm + non-comm)– synthetic biology– bioinformatics– animal biotechnology
Next period • Source and initiate collaborative projects– plant biotechnology/agriculture– human health
• Explore possibilities for qualifications (Hons?) that utilize multi-partner expertise
• Hons-MSc: collaborative projects!• Funding: core, capacity building, workshops• Equipment Sharing Agreement
Equipment Sharing
• Establish principles for sharing equipment and facilities– applicable to all institutions– accommodate existing agreements
• Facilities/scarce equipment lists drawn up• Fine-tune agreements
ACGT+TIA=
• Co-hosted biotechnology forums?– plant biotechnology – comm + non-comm disease– synthetic biology– bioinformatics– animal biotechnology
• ACGT and advancing projects/products in the value chain?
• ACGT researcher database utility
ACGT+TIA=
• ACGT as model for collaborative initiatives elsewhere/nationally?
• Technology platform review?• Linkages to partners?
Contact
• John: [email protected]• Jess: [email protected]• Nthabiseng: [email protected]• Ella: [email protected]